€4m Active Travel funding 'fantastic', says Smyth

The news that Westmeath has been allocated over €4m for Active Travel projects this year, has been welcomed by the chair of the Transport and Planning SPC at the council, Cllr Hazel Smyth.

In a statement released to the local media, Cllr Smyth said that the funding will enable the council “to continue the transformation that is taking place in walking and cycling infrastructure right across the county”.

“This means that the much-needed Saunders Bridge project can be completed in Mullingar, as well as Active Travel schemes for Harbour Street and the Dublin Road.”

A total of €290m will be spent nationally in 2024 to fund roughly 800 new and existing Active Travel projects across the country. This means that the government will have spent more than €1 billion on walking and cycling infrastructure since 2020.

Cll Smyth explained how the funding will benefit the local area:

“Walking and cycling are a great way to stay healthy, take cars off the roads and bring more footfall into our town centres. That is why it is fantastic to see over €4 million will be invested in walking and cycling across Westmeath this year.”

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan, said:

“The Green Party is dedicated to making walking and cycling a safe and attractive option in all our cities and towns and we have shown that in the four years we’ve been in government with record investment right across the country. Ireland is now top of the global list per capita for investment in active travel. This plan is great for the environment, our towns and our health. We are already seeing the impact of the €1 billion investment as it is easier and healthier to travel on our roads. The best cities and towns in the world to live in are those that make it easy for people to walk around and this idea is being embraced by many towns in Ireland.”